Downloading a code image to remote devices

ABSTRACT

A server downloads a code image to remote devices so that the remote devices are performing properly in accordance with an updated version of the code image. The server may include an application server that targets devices and informs the targeted devices about a multicasting session. The targeted devices subsequently join the multicast session supported by a multicasting server and extract the code image from the multicast session. After the multicast session has been completed, the downloading center polls the targeted devices to determine which devices have successfully downloaded the code image. The server may repeat the download to devices that did not successfully download the code image by subsequently scheduling a subsequent multicasting session or by individually sending the code image to the devices. Portions of the code image may be sent in multicasting messages based on a depth level and interval.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects of the disclosure relate to downloading a code image to remotedevices.

BACKGROUND

Content transmission and communication systems, e.g., high speed dataand television content transmission systems, serve numerous users (oftenmany thousands), in which each user has one or more devices (e.g.,display devices, gateways, set top boxes or modems) to process signalsat the user's premise. These devices often contain sophisticatedsoftware having very large code images that may be changed in order toprovide new services and to enhance existing services. Downloading codeimages from a central facility to devices in the field may thus requirea large investment in servers and cause a substantial increase ofnetwork congestion over a significant period of time in order totransmit a large amount of information. The time to deliver a code imagemay take several hours depending on the scheduling over a large network.If downloading to a device is not successful, a subsequent complete orpartial download is scheduled. The complexity of the downloading processis further compounded by the large number of devices that may beinvolved. Consequently, the downloading process may result in asubstantial amount of resources being diverted from other network needs.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in orderto provide a basic understanding of some aspects. It is not intended toidentify key or critical elements of the disclosure or to delineate thescope of the disclosure. The following summary merely presents someconcepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the moredetailed description provided below.

A server downloads a code image to remote devices so, for example, a theremote devices are performing in accordance with an updated version. Theserver may be an application server that targets devices and informs thetargeted devices about a multicasting session that is supported by amulticasting server. The targeted devices subsequently join themulticast session and extract the code image from the multicast session.After the multicast session has been completed, the downloading centermay poll the targeted devices to determine which devices havesuccessfully downloaded the code image. The downloading center maydownload the code image to devices that did not successfully downloadthe code image by subsequently scheduling a subsequent multicastingsession or by individually sending the code image to the devices. Thedownloading center may determine whether to reschedule a multicastingsession or whether to use unicast transmission based on a percentage ofdevices that have successfully downloaded the code image.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a code image may be sent inmulticast messages based on a depth level and interval, where the depthlevel sets the size of a transmitted portion of the code image and theinterval sets the number of repeats for transmitting each portion. Thedepth level and the interval may be set to predetermined values or maybe dynamically determined based on a transmission metric.

Other embodiments can be partially or wholly implemented on acomputer-readable medium, for example, by storing computer-executableinstructions or modules, or by utilizing computer-readable datastructures.

Of course, the methods and systems of the above-referenced embodimentsmay also include other additional elements, steps, computer-executableinstructions, or computer-readable data structures. In this regard,other embodiments are disclosed and claimed herein as well.

The details of these and other embodiments are set forth in theaccompanying drawings and the description below. Other features andadvantages of the disclosure will be apparent from the description anddrawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not limitedin the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicatesimilar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 shows an application manager in accordance with various aspectsof the disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram for a procedure for downloading code imagesin accordance with aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a multicast server that supports downloading an image inaccordance with aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows a process for downloading an image to devices in accordancewith various aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram for downloading an image to devices inaccordance with aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram for supporting a multicast session inaccordance with aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 shows an apparatus that supports downloading a code image inaccordance with aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows an apparatus that supports downloading a code image inaccordance with aspects of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Traditional systems may download a code image (e.g., a storedrepresentation of instructions that may be executed) to a remote deviceby transmitting a file in a data carousel using a multicast stream(e.g., broadcast method). Other traditional systems may use a filetransfer protocol (FTP) to send a file to the remote device (e.g.,unicast method). One known protocol is trivial file transfer protocol(TFTP), which typically uses a small file transfer size (typically lessthan 1 Mbyte). The broadcast method is typically proprietary per vendorimplementation and is not standardized. However, while the unicastmethod may be standardized, it often results in substantial networkcongestion.

Aspects of the disclosure enable the time to upgrade a large network ofdevices to be reduced. In contrast, for example, it may require six totwelve months to complete firmware upgrades for a television contenttransmission system having a total population with millions ofsubscribers. Consequently, the potential for saving time and resourcesis substantial for network upgrades.

FIG. 1 shows system 100 in which downloading center 104 transmits anupdated code image to remote devices for use, such as execution. Asshown in FIG. 1, downloading center 104 includes application manager 103and server 101, which may be a multicast server. Application manager(AM) 103 targets network endpoint devices 105-110 (e.g., displaydevices, mobile devices, gateways, set-top boxes (STBs), cable modems(CMs), cable modem termination systems (CMTSs), and routers) fordownloading and subsequently may instruct devices 105-110 to join amulticast session in accordance with various aspects of the disclosure.(While the example shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 only depict downloading todevices 105, 107, and 109, embodiments typically support downloading acode image to hundreds or even thousands of devices during a multicastsession.) Application manager 103 directs server 101 to download thecode image in a multicast session as shown in FIG. 2 as discussed below.Referencing FIG. 1 server 101 accesses the code image in order totransmit the multicast session stream through Internet Protocol (IP)network 150. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, for example, IP network150 may comprise one or more regional networks.

In order to establish a multicast session, application manager 103 maysend unicast messages (e.g., using Simple Network Management Protocol(SNMP)) to targeted devices 105, 107, and 109 over communication lines151, 153, and 155, respectively. The messages may be sent through anetwork 150, such as a wired or wireless IP network 150, terminationsystems 111 and 113, and networks 160 and 170 in order to instructdevices 105, 107, and 109 to join that multicast session as will befurther discussed with FIG. 2. According to some embodiments, networks160 and 170 may comprise fiber optic, coaxial cable, wireless,satellite, or hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) networks, which may supportInternet Protocol (IP) or any other protocol. Networks 160 and 170 maybe extensions of IP network 150. Application manager 103 may select thetargeted device using different criteria. For example, a downloadsession may target a particular device model that is concentrated in ageographical location. As another example, devices may be dispersedacross different markets in order to balance the traffic during thedownload process so that any particular network is not excessivelycongested from the download.

System 100 may utilize a wireless communication channel in lieu of or inconjunction with a wired network to communicate with devices 105, 107,and 109.

Application manager 103 subsequently may inform multicast server 101 totransmit the code image to devices 105, 107, and 109 in the multicastsession. After the download has completed for the multicast session,application manager 103 may poll devices 105, 107, and 109 to determinewhich devices have been successfully upgraded, for example. Applicationmanager 103 may determine when to poll based on different criteria,including a predetermined time or a download session completionacknowledgment from multicast server 101.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the remaining devices (e.g., devices106, 108, and 110) may be provided with the code image in one or moreseparate multicast sessions. Also, while not shown explicitly, multicastserver 101 may comprise one or more servers.

FIG. 2 shows flow diagram 200 for a procedure for downloading codeimages to network endpoint devices in accordance with aspects of thedisclosure. In step 201, targeted network endpoint devices are selected.In step 203, the code image is transmitted to the targeted devices. Insome embodiments, the targeted device may join a multicast session, inwhich the code image is transmitted to the targeted devices. In otherembodiments, the network endpoint devices may be notified of a broadcastsession, which does not require that the targeted device join amulticast group. Rather than exchanging multicast messaging between anendpoint device and a server, the network endpoint device may listen tothe broadcast at the scheduled time as indicated in schedule informationcontained in a transmitted notification table from the server.

In step 205, each targeted devices may be polled to verify that thedownload was successful for the device. If not, the download can berepeated in step 207 by retransmitting the code image to the device. Forexample, the device can join a subsequent multicast session or the codeimage can be sent through unicast (direct) messaging.

Referring to FIG. 3, multicast server 101 supports multicast session 351through routers 301 and 303 and termination systems 111 and 113 fordownloading a code image to devices 105, 107, and 109 in accordance withaspects of the disclosure. With some embodiments of the disclosure,multicast server 101 starts a multicast stream. Consequently, targeteddevices 105, 107, and 109 join the multicast group using an appropriateprotocol such as Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP). Multicastserver 101 then uses an IP multicast group to send the content of thecode image, in which the group address provides the IP destinationaddress in data packets. Devices 105, 107, and 109 use this groupaddress to inform the network that they are interested in receivingpackets that contain code image updates sent to that group. Multicastserver 101 then downloads the code image by partitioning the code imageand delivering the partitions using, for example, data packets (e.g.,with User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or Transmission Control Protocol(TCP)).

FIG. 4 shows process 400 for downloading image code to targeted devicesin accordance with various aspects of the disclosure. For example,process 400 may use a data structure that maps IP addresses to networkendpoint devices in order to identify targeted devices. In step 401,application manager 103 identifies devices (e.g., display devices,mobile devices, gateways, set-top boxes 105, 107, and 109) fordownloading and instructs the identified devices to join the multicastsession that is subsequently initiated by multicast server 101. Themulticast session is consequently configured by the targeted devicesjoining the multicast group. In step 403, multicast server 101 sends thecontent of the image code to the targeted devices using a multicastprotocol, which may run on top of the user datagram protocol.

As will be discussed in further detail, the download status of thetargeted devices is determined in step 405. Based on the downloadstatus, the code image may be separately downloaded to selected devicesin step 407, or a subsequent multicast session may be scheduled for someor all of the targeted devices that did not successfully download thecode image. Typically, the number (M) of devices that are separatelydownloaded is substantially smaller than the number (N) of devices thatwere previously downloaded in the previous multicast session so that theresulting traffic does not result in traffic congestion.

As discussed above, a targeted device may join a multicast group inorder to receive the code image content. If the targeted device does notsuccessfully download the code image based on a predetermined criterion,server 101 may directly communicate only with the targeted device usingunicast messages. Moreover, with some embodiments a device may obtaincode image content by receiving a broadcast transmission without joininga multicast group.

FIG. 5 shows flow diagram 500 for downloading a code image to targeteddevices in accordance with aspects of the disclosure. In step 501,application manager 103, determines the targeted devices and instructsthose devices to join the multicast session (stream) that multicastserver 101 is sending. In step 503, and as further discussed with FIG.6, multicast server 503 sends multicast messages in the multicast streamto provide the code image to devices that joined the multicast session.In step 505, a targeted device processes (digests) the content ofmulticast messages to extract the code image. If the targeted devicedoes not accept the code image in step 507, the device indicates so witha status indicator. For example, with some embodiments, the device setsa readable object such as a SNMP object to indicate the downloadingstatus of the device. For example, Internet Engineering Task Group RFC2669 (DOCSIS Cable Device MIB Cable Device Management Information Basefor DOCSIS compliant Cable Modems and Cable Modem Termination Systems)specifies a procedure docsDevSwAdminStatus having a value equal to 1, 2,or 3 corresponding to “upgradeFromMgt”, “allowProvisioningUpgrade”, or“ignoreProvisioningUpgrade”, respectively, to indicate the downloadingstatus of the device. If a device has successfully received a codeimage, the device sets the object value to “ignoreProvisioningUpgrade.”The device verifies the code image in step 409.

In step 511, after a predetermined time has expired, application server103 polls the targeted devices to verify receipt of the code imageupgrade. However, while the code image may be upgraded, some embodimentsmay download other versions of the code image. If all of the targeteddevices successfully downloaded the code image, as determined by step513, downloading process 500 terminates at step 519. Otherwise, step 515determines whether at least a predetermined percentage of targeteddevices successfully downloaded the code image. If not, a subsequentmulticast session is scheduled for the devices that did not successfullydownload in the multicast session. However, if at least a predeterminedpercentage of the targeted devices successfully downloaded the codeimage, in step 417 application server 103 individually sends the codeimage to each device that did not successfully download in the multicastsession using unicasting (e.g., TFTP or HTTP).

FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram for supporting multicast session 500(corresponding to step 503 as shown in FIG. 5) in accordance withaspects of the disclosure. In step 601, multicasting server 101initiates the multicast stream that contains the code image. The size ofeach portion is configured by the amount of code image content (depth)contained in each set of packets in step 603. Each portion of the codeimage is transmitted in the multicast stream in step 605. The depth maycorrespond to a number of packets containing a corresponding number ofbytes, where the portion is repeated a number of times as determined bythe interval. For example, if the interval is equal to 5, then atargeted device may have five chances to obtain a code image portion.When a portion has been repeated the configured number of times,multicast server 101 sends the next portion in step 609 until thecomplete code image has been transmitted as determined by step 607.

Process 600 further repeats the transmission of the complete code image,each corresponding to a carousel try in steps 613 and 611, where acarousel try corresponds to a repeat of the code image content in thetransmitted data carousel. When all of the carousel tries have beencompleted, the multicast phase is terminated (corresponding to thecompletion of step 615).

The depth and interval may be set to predetermined values in process503. However, with some embodiments, the depth and interval (determinedin step 603) may be dynamically configured based on a transmissionmetric that is indicative of the communications conditions betweenmulticasting server 101 and the targeted devices. For example, system100 may utilize a monitoring device (not explicitly shown) that monitorsa transmission metric (e.g., the error rate of the receivedcommunication signal) from multicasting server 101. Multicasting server101 may consequently adjust the depth and interval (as shown in FIG. 6)based on the transmission metric during the multicast session. With someembodiments, devices 105, 107, and 109 may have monitoring capabilitiesfor determining a transmission metric and for informing downloadingcenter 104 about the transmission metric.

In some embodiments, devices 105, 107, and 109 provide a download statusthat is indicative of a percentage of the code image that wassuccessfully downloaded to the device. For example, if a device couldnot download a portion of the code image during the multicast session,the device may cease downloading any subsequent portions of the codeimage during the multicast session. If the percentage exceeds apercentage threshold, downloading center 104 may subsequently downloadthe remaining part of the code image in a unicast transmission to thedevice.

FIG. 7 shows apparatus 700 that supports downloading a code image to anetwork endpoint device in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.With some embodiments, apparatus 700 supports the functionalities ofapplication manager 103 and multicast server 101 as shown in FIGS. 1 and2. Processor 701 may execute computer executable instructions from acomputer-readable medium, e.g., memory 709 in order perform a datatransmission process (any or all of the transmission processes describedherein). Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile,removable and non-removable media implemented in any method ortechnology for storage of information such as computer readableinstructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computerstorage media include, but is not limited to, random access memory(RAM), read only memory (ROM), electronically erasable programmable readonly memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM,digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magneticcassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store thedesired information and that can be accessed by processor 701. Theexecutable instructions may carry out any or all of the method stepsdescribed herein. With some embodiments, processor 701 may comprises oneor more processing devices.

Memory 707 stores one or more versions of the image code for downloadingto network endpoint devices, e.g., devices 105, 107, and 109.

Processor 701 performs the functionalities of application server 103 bysending unicast messages (e.g., SNMP and TFTP) through unicast interface705 through converged regional network 150 and hybrid fiber cablenetworks 160 and 170. Processor 701 performs the functionalities ofmulticasting server 101 by sending multicasting messages throughmulticast interface 703 through networks 150, 160, and 170 in order todownload the code image into devices 105, 107, and 109.

FIG. 8 shows apparatus 800 that supports downloading a code image at anetwork endpoint device in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.With some embodiments, apparatus 800 supports the functionalities ofdevices 105 and 107 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Processor 801 may executecomputer executable instructions from a computer-readable medium, e.g.,memory 807 in order perform a data transmission process (any or all ofthe transmission processes described herein). Memory 805 stores one ormore versions of the image code that has been downloaded from multicastserver 101.

Processor 801 performs the functionalities of a network endpoint deviceby receiving unicast (direct) messages (e.g., SNMP and TFTP) throughnetwork interface 803. Processor 801 also receives multicast messagesthrough network interface 803 in order to download the code image tomemory 805.

While the exemplary embodiments have been discussed in broad terms of acable communications networking environment, the disclosure may beconfigured for other networking environments includingtelecommunications environments.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: sending, by acomputing device, in a first multicast session, a first portion of afile to a plurality of devices; responsive to a determination that aninsufficient quantity of the plurality of devices have received thefirst portion of the file, sending, in a second multicast session, thefirst portion of the file to the plurality of devices; and sending, in athird multicast session, a second portion of the file to the pluralityof devices.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file comprises a codeimage.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the first portionof the file in the second multicast session comprises setting up thesecond multicast session.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:comparing, with a threshold value, a number of the plurality of devicesthat have received the first portion of the file; and determiningwhether the insufficient quantity of the plurality of devices havereceived the first portion of the file based on the threshold value. 5.The method of claim 1, further comprising: comparing, with a thresholdvalue, a percentage of the plurality of devices that have received thefirst portion of the file; and determining whether the insufficientquantity of the plurality of devices have received the first portion ofthe file based on the percentage.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thedetermination comprises receiving at least one message from at least oneof the plurality of devices, the at least one messages indicatingwhether a corresponding one of the plurality of devices received thefirst portion of the file during the first multicast session.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising polling the plurality of devices,wherein the determination is performed based on responses to thepolling.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring thefirst multicast session to determine at least one transmission metric.9. The method of claim 1, further comprising polling, by the computingdevice, at least some of the plurality of devices to verify receipt ofthe first portion of the file.
 10. A method, comprising: sending, duringa multicast session by a system comprising at least one computingdevice, a file to a plurality of devices comprising a first device;polling, by the system, at least some of the plurality of devices toverify receipt of the file; and responsive to a determination from thepolling that at least a predetermined quantity of the plurality ofdevices received the file during the multicast session and that thefirst device did not receive the file, selectively sending the file tothe first device.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:responsive to determining that at least the predetermined quantity ofthe plurality of devices received the file, scheduling a subsequentmulticast session and sending the file to at least one of the pluralityof devices during the subsequent multicast session.
 12. The method ofclaim 10, wherein polling at least some of the plurality of devicescomprises comparing a quantity of the plurality of devices that receivedthe file with the predetermined quantity, and wherein the selectivelysending is selectively performed depending upon an outcome of thecomparing.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the selectively sendingcomprises sending the file to the first device during a unicast sessionwith the first device.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein thepredetermined quantity is a predetermined percentage.
 15. A method,comprising: sending, by at least one computing device, a portion of afile to a plurality of devices during a multicast session; monitoringthe multicast session to determine at least one transmission metric;determining a predetermined quantity of the plurality of devices basedon the transmission metric; and responsive to a determination that lessthan the predetermined quantity of the plurality of devices downloadedthe portion of the file, scheduling a subsequent multicast session andsending the portion of the file to at least one of the plurality ofdevices during the subsequent multicast session.
 16. The method of claim15, wherein the at least one transmission metric comprises an error rateof a received communication signal associated with the multicastsession.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the monitoring themulticast session to determine the at least one transmission metricfurther comprises monitoring a transmission condition of the multicastsession.
 18. The method of claim 15, wherein the portion of the filecomprises a code image.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein thedetermination that less than the predetermined quantity of the pluralityof devices downloaded the portion of the file comprises comparing anumber of the plurality of devices that downloaded the portion of thefile with the predetermined quantity.
 20. The method of claim 17,wherein the sending the portion of the file to the plurality of devicescomprises: determining a depth level and an interval value; sending theportion of the file based on the depth level; and repeating sending, tothe plurality of devices, the portion of the file a number of times thatis based on the interval value.